Official Denies Cuts to Ukrainian Language Instruction, Clarifies Actual Changes

Educational Situation in Kyiv

According to Главком: Ihor Khvorostianyi, head of the New Ukrainian School Reform Implementation Office, has refuted claims that Ukrainian language instruction hours are being reduced in primary schools. He clarified that the number of hours dedicated to studying Ukrainian has not been cut and has even been increased compared to the previous curriculum developed by Roman Shiyan. Compared to the program by Oleksandra Savchenko, the number of hours has remained unchanged. This clarification comes amid a broader national effort to strengthen Ukrainian cultural identity.

In Kyiv, the educational process in many schools has been disrupted by a lack of heating, forcing a shift to remote learning. Specifically, in the Pechersk district, most schools are operating online due to low indoor temperatures. Across the city, 69 educational buildings, approximately 7%, remain without heat. The most severe heating issues are in the Darnytskyi and Dniprovskyi districts, where about 45% of educational institutions are without heat due to infrastructure damage from Russian shelling.

Kyiv is also experiencing significant student absenteeism, with nearly one in five students absent due to illness or family circumstances. The best rates of in-person attendance are seen in the Obolonskyi, Sviatoshynskyi, and Podilskyi districts. However, the Podilskyi district has not implemented remote learning, highlighting the disparity in educational conditions across different areas of the capital.

Challenges for the Education System

The situation in Kyiv underscores the profound challenges facing the education system amid war and difficult climatic conditions. The widespread lack of heating and the shift to distance learning could negatively impact educational quality. Meanwhile, the official information about increased hours for Ukrainian language study points to government efforts to support linguistic and cultural identity in the face of these contemporary adversities. These developments occur as Ukraine continues to defend its sovereignty on multiple fronts.